TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES OF VSTEP PREPARATION: A COMPARATIVE QUALITATIVE STUDY

Manh Huynh Bui

doi:10.63506/jilc.1001.385

Authors

Manh Huynh Bui Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63506/jilc.1001.385

Keywords:

Washback; VSTEP; English language assessment; test preparation; Vietnamese higher education

Abstract

A VSTEP certificate is often a mandatory requirement for graduation and postgraduate admission in Vietnam, yet empirical research on its preparatory washback remains limited. Guided by washback theory, this qualitative study examines teachers’ and students’ experiences of VSTEP preparation in Vietnamese universities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine English language teachers and seventeen undergraduate students. The data was then analyzed thematically using an inductive and comparative approach. The findings disclose divergent interpretations of test demands, with teachers adopting construct-oriented perspectives aligned with CEFR outcomes, while students tend to hold task- and score-oriented views. Preparation strategies reflect mediated washback shaped by institutional expectations and individual agency. Despite challenges related to time pressure, assessment ambiguity, anxiety, and resource access, participants also report positive washback, including enhanced assessment literacy, structured learning goals, and increased test confidence. The study offers insights into VSTEP-related washback in Vietnamese higher education

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